Fuse.



H. L. REED.

FUSE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 17, 1915.

1 ,208,004. Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY L. REED, OF DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN E. CROWLEY,

0F DORCHES'I'ER, MASSACHUSETTS.

FUSE.

Application filed December 17, 1915.

the fuse member outwardly through said casing and thence to the other terminal of said fuse. A small amount of explosive substance is arranged about said fine wire adjacent to the point at which it emerges from the casing of the fuse, said explosive substance being covered by a sheet of paper or any other suitable covering which is adapted to be destroyed by the combustion of said explosive substance.

The object of the invention is to provide a suitable handle for a fuse of the type de scribed which may be constructed of insulating material andwhereby the fuse may be removed or replaced from the gripping'devices which maintain said fuse in electrical contact with an electric circuit without danger of the person removing the same from getting a shock or from being burned,

said handle also constituting a barrier which is arranged in front of the telltale of the fuse, thereby preventing the explosive substance -from being blown into the face of the person who happens to be standing in front thereof when such an explosion occurs.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a fuse embodying my inven tion. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig.1.

Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 4 preferably constructed of insulatmg material such as fiber, having openings 5, 5 at opposite ends. 7 is the fusible element of the fuse, or better known as fuse link. The v openings 5, 5 of the casing 4 are closed in Specification of Letters Patent.

is a tubular casing,

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

Serial No. 67,317.

the usual manner by metallic caps 8 which slip over said ends and are secured thereto, preferably by rivets 9 extending entirely through said caps and the adjacent portions of said casing. The caps S constitute portions of the fuse terminal and are connected with the fuse 7 by suitable connecting elements 10. To the caps 8 may also be secured blades 11 adapted to be inserted between suitable terminal posts included in the electric circuit which is to be completed by said fuse.

As hereinbefore stated, the casing 4 is constructed of insulating material and to remove the fuse of such a construction from its connection with the terminal posts of the electric circuit it is necessary to grasp said casing and withdraw the same from said terminal post. There is always an element of danger connected with such an operation, for the reason that unless great care is exercised the person grasping said casing is liable to accidentally touch one of the metal caps 8 at the end of said casing with the result that a circuit is completed through said person to the floor of the building or to some other ground, producing a severe shock to said person. To reduce the danger of such an accident, or to eliminate it altogether, a handle 12 has been provided, said handle being constructed of suitable insulating material which is arranged-upon the front side of the casing of said fuse and extends from one cap 8 to the other. The ends of said handle are secured preferably by means of the rivets 9 to said caps while suitable means are provided to substantially inclose the heads of said rivets in order to insulate the same, said means preferably consisting of extensions 13 which, in other words, are continuations of said insulating material bent rearwardly over the heads of said rivets into contact with said handle thus absolutely preventing the person who grasps the handle 12 from touching said rivets. The central'portion of said handle is bowed outwardly between the rivets 9so as to provide ample room to grasp said handle without touching the easing 8. In the type of fuse described, there is what is known as a telltale device connect-- ed therewith, which preferably consists of an exceptionally fine conductor 14 which extends from one end of the fuse link at 15 within the casing outwardly through a hole 16 in said casing near the center and in the front face thereof, thence along the outer surface of said casing to the cap 8 which is connected with the opposite end of the fuse link surrounding the conductor.

At the point where the conductor 14 emerges from the casing a label or covering of suitable material is placed over said conductor beneath which is arranged an ex plosive or combustible substance arranged in direct contact with said conductor. When the fusible element 7 is melted or blown, a shortcircuit or overload current which previously passed through said fuse is diverted through the fine conductor 14 and causes said conductor to fuse or be blown, thereby igniting the explosive substance beneath the sheet material. The position of said telltale is usually at the front of the casing 8 and in plain view of persons approaching the same so as to permit the condition of said fuse to be instantly discerned. It will be evident that with such an arrangement of the telltale that considerable dangerwill always be present to the person inspecting or approaching the casing containing the fuse, from the exploding of said explosive sub.- stance which might happen at any time without any warning, and thus blow directly into the face of said person. 1

It is one of the objects of this invention to so place said handle that it will serve as a barrier between said explosive substance and the person inspecting said fuse so as to prevent particles of said explosive substance from beingthrown into the face of said person.

Having thus described my invention what moepoa I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

1. A fuse having, in combination, a tubular casing, closures for opposite ends of said casing, a handle constructed of insulating material, metallic means for securing opposite ends of said handle to said closures, and meansconstituting portions of said handle adapted to inclose said metal securing means to insulate said means.

2. A fuse having, in combination, a tubular casing, a cap constructed and arranged to close each end of said casing, rivets extending through said caps and into said casing, a handle constructed of insulating material adapted to be secured by said rivets to said caps, and means on said handle adapted to cover the ends of said rivets and insulate the same.

3. A fuse having, in combination, a tubular casing, a cap constructed and arranged to close each end of said casing, rivets extending through said caps and into said casing, a handle constructed of insulating sheet material adapted to be secured by said rivets to said caps, and extensions on said handle bent backwardly toward said handle and adapted tocover the ends of said rivets to insulate the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY L. REED.

l/Vitnesses:

SYDNEY E. TAFT, HATTIE E. STRATTON. 

